Dec 4, 2024
North Bay
Ontario
“Oh – I believe there’s a guy coming to deliver a free blanket or something.”
Can’t read the full email – click here for the online version.
Thank goodness my parents live north of
Muskoka, Eastern Canada’s “cottage” country. Over the past weekend, that region got hit with the full brunt of what is known as the “Great Lakes Weather Effect”. A meter or more of fresh snow closed down the main highway that connects this area to Toronto.
Many were caught unawares, like a couple who were driving down from here to catch a flight out of Toronto for a pre-Christmas vacation to the
Dominican Republic. The weather report had called for some snow – nothing out of the ordinary for northerners. Unfortunately for this couple, there was so much snow that the road was impassable for hours – meaning they missed their flight and vacation.
In other news, Canadian postal workers remain on strike, now in its third week. This is kind of a bi-annual ritual with this group. Call it just before Christmas, to
ensure that everybody is affected.
Seniors like my parents who still receive and pay their bills via the mail. Small businesses who rely on the post to promote and fulfill orders.
One company, however, that came to my attention recently, has a sales process that doesn’t rely on the mail. Nor do they rely on the internet.
Instead, they are using a tried and proven method that has worked for decades – cold calling!
Say what?
How can that still work in the day and age of call display, call control and voicemail?
Like any sales process, it only works when you use the Conversion Equation. If you recall, it goes like this:
- Interrupt
- Engage
- Educate
- Offer
Calling cold is certainly an interruptive activity. These days, it doesn’t work as well as in the past – except for certain individuals and households.
In this case, they targeted folks who are seniors, own their home and have a landline. Many still answer every call and respectively listen to the caller.
My folks are exactly these kinds of people.
So, one day last week, my dad receives a call from a nice lady calling from some “Health and Safety” company. They are offering a free “fire blanket”. When could
someone come out to deliver it.
He told them that that very afternoon would be fine, not really expecting them to deliver on the promise.
My wife and I had been out on errands with my mom when this call came in. Upon our return, it being later in the day, I invited my father to head out for a walk with the dog.
Just as we were heading out, a car arrived in the drive and a man got out. We assumed he was lost and wanted directions because we hadn’t expected anyone.
That’s when my dad remembered that someone was coming out to deliver a blanket of some kind. I would have told the fellow to turn around and “come back” another day. But my dad figured, the guy had come out all this way, so he invites him in and tells my mom,
there’s a fellow here to show “us” some safety stuff, deliver a free gift and that he (and we) would be back later.
Well, as you can surmise, this company’s process is to get appointments by phone with prospects like my folks with a free offer. Once they arrive with the gift, they tell you that they have to give a “short” safety presentation, before they leave you with the gift, but that there is “no obligation” to purchase
anything.
Many people like my parents will feel obligated to listen to the “presentation”.
A good presentation will be part information and part questionnaire. The goal is to demonstrate that the homeowner needs a good fire safety system that will include smoke and carbon monoxide detection devises – all of which can be controlled and monitored with your
phone.
All processes must have good economics.
It is not cheap to hire and train good appointment setters, no matter how good the script and targeted list. Then you need to hire and train people to actually meet people face to face, conduct a sales presentation and then close the sale.
This company was in the
business of selling $3000 - $7000 systems.
And no, my parents did not purchase any. But one good thing did come from the arrival of this salesperson. We discovered that while they did have a fire extinguisher, it was old and expired. So they were able to purchase one from this fellow.
A down sell, to be sure, but perhaps a small compensation for his time. And a safety
item all homes should have.
How can you use this information?
Firstly, you should examine all of your current methods for selling and promoting your products and services. Are you using more than one medium so that you are not caught out if one of those media becomes closed to you?
Secondly, ensure you are using the conversion equation in all of your promotion and selling activities.
Lastly, look at the economics of every sales process you use. What are your numbers? Cost of client acquisition? Do you have upsell and down sell offers so that you maximize the value of each and every customer?
Until next week,
Stay healthy and focus on profit!
- Hugh
The “Profit Accelerator” Expert
P.S. How would you like a simple, proven and tested way you can double your profits with little time, effort or expense on your part?
50% OFF Sale: Get 24/7/365 Access to the World’s Most Dynamic Client Attraction and Revenue Generating Program Available Anywhere Today for 50% Off!
➡️ https://streetsmartsmba.pro/online-learning-registration - use coupon code DEC2450
★ BECOME A HIGHLY PAID BUSINESS COACH WITH #1 COACHING PLATFORM ★
I am looking for individuals to help handle the exploding global demand for business
coaching services. I’m willing to train [at my expense] the right individual with a
passion for wanting to help small
business owners become successful.
NO travel - work from home. $225,000 first year income. If you or someone you
know is interested, click here and an 8 minute video will explain it all.